Hailstorms in HP cause crop losses of over Rs 150 crore

Severe hailstorms today lashed mid-hills, including scenic Shimla, while higher reaches in Himachal received fresh snowfall leading to sharp dip in mercury.

Severe hailstorms today lashed mid-hills, including scenic Shimla, while higher reaches in Himachal received fresh snowfall leading to sharp dip in mercury.

Officials said the hailstorms had caused a loss of Rs 150 crore to Rs 200 crore to horticulture crops.

Normal life was thrown out of gear as hailstorms uprooted trees, blew off roofs of mud houses and disrupted road traffic. The storms also damaged the apple crop in the state, officials said.Bajaura in Kullu received 13mm rains, Dalhousie 12mm, Gaggal 10mm, Khere 7mm and Manali 6mm, the Met office said.

Minimum temperatures dipped to 11.6 degrees each in Shimla and Bhuntar while Manali recorded a low of seven degrees C.